Indicating mechanism for post-office boxes.



Patented Aug. l9, I902.

T. F. KELLY. INQICATING MECHANISM FOR POST OFFICE BOXES.

(Application filed-Nov. 27, 1901.)

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TIIOMAS'F. KELLY,'OF ADAIR, IOWVA.

INDICATING MECHANISM FOR POST-OFFICE BOXES.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent NO. 707,236, dated August 19, 1902. Application filed November 27, 1901. Serial No. 83,873. (No model.)

To all whom, it may concern.- Be it known that I, THOMAS F. KELLY, citizen of the United States, residing at Adair, Adair county, Iowa, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Indicating Mechanism for Post-Office Boxes, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to improvements in indicating mechanism for post-office boxes, and is an improvement upon the apparatus which forms the subject of an earlier application filed by me in the United States Patent Oflice on the 7th day of March, 1901, Serial No. 50,147.

The object of the invention is to provide a more simple construction which may be applied to the post-office boxes at less'cost and which will leave the fronts of the boxes unobstructed. I have also aimed to provide a construction which may be readily applied to lock-boxes without interfering with the opening and shutting of the doors. I

I have illustrated the invention in the accompanying drawings, in which Figure 1 is a front elevation showing the indicators exposed, part of one of the front bars being removed. Fig.2 is an enlarged detail. Fig. 3 is a detail view of a'modification of the device adapted for lockeboxes.

In the drawings, the letter A designates a plurality of post-office boxes or compartments,

which may be of the usual or any desired of indicator-arms D, bearing'at their free ends suitable words, such as Box rent due, and the opposite ends are preferably cut on an incline, as shown at d. The pivot-pins for the arms are shown at'cZ, and stop-pins are indicated at (1 which limit the downward movement of the indicator-arms when released. These indicatorarms are each raised and held in a concealed position behind the front bars by means of a rocking piece E, pivotally mounted in the support 0 and having a projection e, designed when the piece is rotated in the direction of the arrow to contact with the inclined end of the indicator-arm, and

thus swing the free end upwardly. When the arm has reached the limit of its upward movement, which may be determined by a stop-pin c, it is held thereby, the projection e engaging the inclined end of the indicatorarm, and as the point of contact is then below the pivot-pin upon which the arm is mounted it will be seen that the parts are effectuallyheldagainst accidental displacement without the use of springs or the like. In order to simultaneously release all these arms, I provide a transverse rod F, slidably mounted and extending across each horizontal row of compartments in proximity to the rocking pieces E. Each of these rods carries a series of buttons or projections f, designed to contact with arms or projections e on the rocking pieces'E, and thus'by'moving the rod F to the left all of the rocking pieces will be rotated in the direction opposite to that indicated by the arrow, which will swing the projections a up out of contact with the inclined ends of the indicator-arms, thus releasing the said arms and allowing them to drop down into indicating position. Stoppins f limit the movement of the rocking pieces under the movement of the rod to the left. In order to return theindicator-arms separately to initial position as fast as the boxs rent is paid, the rocking pieces are designed to receive a suitable key having an elongated shank by which it may be inserted from the rear of the box, and thus the postmaster whenever the rent for anyindividual box is paid may raise the indicator-arm to its concealed position by simply rotating the rocking pieces of the respective box. The rod Fmay. be held, against rotation to prevent misplacement'of the buttons by an'elongated projection F, resting in the space between the front and rear bars.

In the form shown in Fig. 3 I have shown a modification of the invention designed for application to lock-boxes in-which the front of each box is closed by a hinged door, (indicated at A.) These doors as usually constructed are simply a-met-al frame of considerable width, having a glass-covered opening in the center, (indicated at A In this case I pivot the arms D directly to the inside of the frame of the door, so that the indicating end of the arm when in one position is con cealed by the frame of the door and in the other position is exposed through the glasscovered opening in the center. Near the opposite end of each indicating-arm is pivoted a rocking piece E, similar to the rocking piece E before referred to, this rocking piece, as shown, being located at the lower edge of the door close to its hinged side.

The projection e is designed to operate the locking-arm when the piece E is rotated and projection e extends downwardly into the path of a projection f on the rod F The rod F is arranged to slide in the frame of the case and is held normally pressed toward the right, so that the projections f are away from the doors, as shown, and do not interfere with the movement thereof. When the indicators are to be thrown into exposed position, the rods are moved to the left by any suitable meanssuch, for instance, as a rock-shaft H, carrying an arm h, engaging between lugs 71 on the rod f It will be understood that each indicator-arm is individually restored to its position by a key adapted to the rocking piece in the same manner as described in connection with Figs. 1 and 2.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim is 1. The combination with a plurality of mail-boxes or pigeonholes, of an indicatingarm pivotally mounted in connection with each box, means for simultaneously swinging all of said arms into indicating position and means for severally restoring them to initial position, substantially as described.

2. The combination of a plurality of pigeonholes or compartments, of an indicator movably mounted in connection with each compartment,and a movable piece or member for moving each indicator, means for simultaneously operating all of said pieces in one direction, and means for severally moving them in the opposite direction.

3. The combination with a plurality of pigeonholes or compartments, of a plurality of pivoted indicating-arms, one for each pigeonhole, a rocking piece in connection with each arm, means for simultaneously rocking all the said pieces in one direction, and means for severally rocking them in the opposite direction, substantially as described.

4. The combination with a plurality of pigeonholes or compartments, of pivoted indieating-arms mountedin connection with each compartment, a rocking piece adapted to operate each indicating-arm, a sliding rod for rocking said pieces in one direction, and means whereby said pieces may be severally rocked in the opposite direction,substantially as described.

5. The combination with a plurality of pigeonholes or compartments, of a plurality of indicating-arms pivotally mounted in connec' tion with said boxes, a rocking piece pivoted in proximity to each arm and having a projection designed to abut against the indicating-arm, a sliding rod passing in proximity to the said rocking pieces, means whereby the movement of the rod in one direction engages and rocks said pieces, and a key for severally rocking said pieces in the opposite direction, substantially as described.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature in presence of two Witnesses.

THOMAS F. KELLY.

Vitnesses:

A. C. SAVAGE, JOHN REIMERS. 

